DCentric

part of the problem is the terminology. people don’t feel privileged when they are in the majority, because they see privileges as something only a select few get.  then when we take about underprivileged thats not quite the right connotation for the opposite.  basically the truth is that there is a handicap to being non-white in this country. non-whites, rightfully, don’t want to adopt that tag, and whites don’t want to call themselves privileged, especially when so many of them live and work and struggle next to people that look like them.
now, how many white DC residents can’t acknowledge that is a different story….

To me, the conversation of race can only be successful if white people can stfu and listen to the complaints that others have and not sweep them aside, and not get defensive and not talk over the issues. because by and large, white people don’t understand the issues. we can all look to how so many people agreed with newt in his recent ignorances. 

“ON WHITE PRIVILEGE”;  I AM SO GLAD SOMEBODY MENTIONS IT, BECAUSE IT DOES NO GOOD AT ALL TO CONSIDER RACIAL GAPS, ETC. WITHOUT, AS THE PRESIDENT SAYS,  MENTIONING THE “SILVER SPOON”.  WE ALL KNOW THAT WHITES ARE MORE PRIVILEGED THAN MOST, BUT, THE MOST HAVE HELPED THEM BECOME AND REMAIN SO PRIVILEGED.  FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU FILL A ROOM WITH NOTHING BUT KINDERGARTENERS AND A WHITE TEACHER COMES INTO THE ROOM, THE REACTION IS DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THE OTHER TEACHER, SUCH AS A DARK SKINNED INDIVIDUAL WALKS INTO THE ROOM.  THESE CHILDREN WILL INNOCENTLY GRAVITATE TOWARD THE LIGHTER SKIN INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT KNOWING OR BEING AWARE OF ANYTHING ELSE.  IF YOU HAVE A GROUP THAT EXHIBITS AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE THROUGH NO FAULT OF ANYONE, IT IS ULTIMATELY UP TO THAT PRIVILEGED GROUP TO REALIZE THAT THEY ARE NOT TO ABUSE THAT PRIVILEGE BY TAKING UNFAIR ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS WHO ARE KNOWN LESS ADVANTAGED OR PRIVILEGED.  SOCIETY AS A WHOLE SUFFERS FOR THIS.  BUT, IT IS ALSO A SITUATION MADE WORSE WHEN THE PRIVILEGED WILL SYSTEMATICALLY DIP INTO THE OTHER GROUP OR GROUPS ONLY TO DISTURB OR PIT ONE AGAINST ANOTHER AS WITH INCITING JEALOUSY OR ENVY BECAUSE OF BIAS BY THE PRIVILEGED.  AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE THAT I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF LOOKING AT MICHELLE OBAMA AND THE WHITE WOMAN BY HER SIDE.  CAN SHE DO ANYTHING WITHOUT HER?   THIS KIND OF OR WAY OF PITTING ONE AGAINST THE OTHER IS THE OLD DIVIDE AND CONQUER RULE.  IS IT NOT ENOUGH THAT THE PRIVILEGED ARE PRIVILEGED?  MUST THEY ADD INSULT TO INJURY BY INCITING JEALOUSY AND ENVY SOLELY FOR THAT PURPOSE?   WHITES HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES TO BE VERY HIGH ON THIS METHOD IN THIS COUNTRY.  RIGHT NOW BARACK OBAMA IS BEING WRONGLY ACCUSED OF DIVIDING AND CONQUERING, WHEN THE FACT IS HE CANNOT DIVIDE AND CONQUER BUT HIS PREDECESSORS CAN AND DO DIVIDE AND CONQUER.  THERE IS AN OLD CHINESE PROVERB THAT REMINDS US OF THIS STYLE OF DO NOTHING TO INHERIT THE WORLD.  IT IS OBVIOUSLY PLAYED OUT WITH BLACKS MORE THAN OTHERS.  SOME OF BLACKS’ BEST DAYS WERE DURING SEGREGATION WHEN IT WAS A TIME WHEN EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SEPERATE BUT UNEQUAL, JUST THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO DO YOUR BEST WITHOUT UNFAIR INTERFERENCE WAS A GOOD THING.  THEN CAME THE INTERGRATION AND MATTERS ARE MADE WORSE IN MANY INSTANCES BECAUSE OF THE PICKS AND CHOOSIES BY THOSE MADE PRIVILEDGED.  THE BEST WAY TO EQUALIZE SITUATIONS FOR MANY PEOPLES IS TO RESPECT THEM FOR THEMSELVES INSTEAD OF TRYING TO CHANGE THEM INTO FAKE COPIES OF SOMEONE ELSE.  THIS AND SPREADING THE PROSPERITY AMONG ALL WITHOUT RESPECT TO PRIVILEGE WILL DO MORE TO CHANGE A SOCIETY FOR THE GOOD OF ALL THAN ANYTHING ELSE.  I DON’T FEEL LIKE AN INANIMATE OBJECT THAT I SHOULD BE PATRONIZED OR BOUGHT AND SOLD.  INSTEAD, I FEEL I WAS BORN INTO THIS WORLD A FREE PERSON AND INDIVIDUAL JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AND I SHOULD BE FREE TO REALIZE MY FULL POTENTIAL WITHOUT INTERFERENCE JUST SO LONG AS I RESPECT AND RECOGNIZE THE SAME FOR OTHERS.  BEING BUDDY-BUDDY WITH WHITES WILL NOT CHANGE HOW I FEEL ABOUT MY OWN STANDARDS AND PRINCIPLES,  THOSE THINGS I WAS BORN WITH I DO NOT COMPROMISE, INSTEAD I SIMPLY RESPECT AND WANT AND DESERVE THE SAME FOR MYSELF.  THERE ARE SOME WHITE PEOPLE THAT I DEARLY FEEL SORRY FOR AND WOULD CHANGE THEIR SITUATION IF IT WAS POSSIBLE JUST LIKE I KNOW SOME BLACKS AND OTHERS THAT I FEEL FOR BUT CANNOT IN AND OF MYSELF DO ANYTHING ABOUT TO CHANGE.  I ALWAYS SAY WE ARE BORN INTO THIS WORLD HELPLESS AND HOPELESS EXCEPT SOMEONE COME TO OUR ASSISTANCE AND WE WILL WIND UP IN THE SAME POSITION AT THE MOMENT OF OUR DEATH, SO IT IS UP TO US TO RECEIVE AND GIVE OUR FLOWERS WHILE WE LIVE SO THAT WE CAN ALL APPRECIATE THEM AS LIFE WOULD HAVE US TO DO.  NOTHING BUT LOVE FOR YOU, BABY ON THIS JUNE 19, BLACK INDEPENDENCE DAY, IF WE NEED ANOTHER IN ADDITION TO JULY 4.  GOOD LIVING FOR ALL.